Sweet Like Cinnamon
by laurenwrites
Summary: "I don't do summer flings," Jade replies. / In which Jade has a summer fling. Or does she? Bade.
1. Part One

**Guys I don't even know what this is. I was drunk like half the time I wrote it.**

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_Now my life is sweet like __cinnamon,_

_Like a fuckin' dream I'm livin' in._

_Pick me up and take me like a vitamin,_

_Cause my body's sweet like sugar venom, oh yeah._

.

"Thank god it's finally summer."

As Jade West lays her towel over a beach chair, she fixes her sunglasses and then plops on her back to start tanning.

"Say goodbye to high school—and _hello_ to college," Cat Valentine, the most energetic of the group of best friends, adds.

"I think I'll sort of miss Hollywood Arts," Tori Vega says, checking her phone to reply to a text from her boyfriend. "Don't get me wrong—I'm excited for college. But having all of my friends at the same school was great while it lasted."

"Trust me," the redhead says, "you won't think twice about high school when you see all of the hot college guys roaming campus."

Tori laughs and shakes her head. "No, I think Andre and I will stay together. It's Jade that all the guys will be after."

The girl in question rolls her eyes and takes another sip of her margarita. "Highly doubtful," she argues.

"Well," Cat says, "we're here for the whole summer. We'll probably be on the beach almost every day. I'd bet anything you meet a guy—even if it's just a summer fling."

"I don't do _summer flings_," Jade replies. "Nice try, though. But hey, you have fun going home with every guy in LA."

All three girls laugh at Cat's attempt to feign offense. "Me?" She asks mockingly, her hand covering her chest. "Never." It's no secret that the redhead likes to sleep around—usually after having several shots or cocktails. Her petite frame makes it easy for her to get drunk quickly, and that combined with her flirtatious personality often gets her into the beds (and hearts) of boys everywhere.

"You should really just grow some and take Robbie's virginity for him," Jade says.

"Oh, I've tried—trust me. He's so weird; he insists on losing it to a girl he doesn't know. He thinks that if he screws up, it'll be best if he never has to see her again." No one can help but laugh at their friend's determination to lose his virginity; as badly as he claims to want to, he's terrified to actually follow through.

"I should have Andre give him some lessons," Tori says, grinning. "He knows what he's doing."

"Ew!" Cat and Jade cry simultaneously. "I don't need to hear about your sex life, thank you," the brunette says, only to Tori's amusement.

"New subject," Cat says. "What time do we want to get to the bonfire tonight?"

"I think it's supposed to start early," Tori answers. "Like around five. And it's one now, so I say we leave in a few hours to get ready, and go around six thirty?"

"Maybe six," Cat says as she refills her styrofoam cup with a second margarita. "I want to play some volleyball before the nets get really crowded. The hot guys are _always_ playing—I'm not missing that."

"I could actually be in for that," Jade agrees, and Cat perks up at her answer. "The volleyball—not the guys," she clarifies. "Let's do six."

The girls take a little longer than usual to get ready—their drinks on the beach did enough to have them moving considerably slower. It's just after six when they arrive at the part of the beach where the Summer Kickoff bonfire is to be held. There are college students from all over Los Angeles covering the area. Music is blaring from large speakers; several games of volleyball are already getting started; surfers are taking advantage of the high tide; and few people are clothed past bathing suits.

After texting the guys to meet up with them, they find Andre and Robbie pouring themselves cups of a beer from one of the many kegs. "Hey, Babe," Andre says to his girlfriend, wrapping his arm around her as he greets her with a kiss.

"Jade and I are going to play volleyball," Cat tells them, dragging her friend by the arm. "Catch you guys later!"

As expected, the two girls get tons of attention on the sand court. Most of the guys don't tolerate girls that can't play very well—even if they're attractive—but Jade doesn't fall into that category. Despite her decision not to show it off in organized school sports, she's more athletic than most girls. Cat, on the other hand, gets to play because she's made friends with lots of the guys—and because she's adorable and keeps the game fun.

They're playing for competition, eliminating people on either team who aren't seen as valuable. After thirty minutes, it's down to two on two. The guys on the other side of the court are ones Jade's seen—maybe she's picked Cat up from one of their houses before. The boy on her side, however, is one she definitely hasn't met.

Despite her insistence on paying attention to the final game that's about to begin, she finds herself getting distracted—and annoyingly so—by him. He hasn't said a word to her, but his body looks like it was molded by God himself and his hair is disgustingly perfect. He's tall, dark, and handsome—way too stereotypical, Jade tries to tell herself.

"I'm Beck," is the first thing out of his mouth, and he sticks his hand out for her to shake.

Jade nods her head once and shakes his hand, successfully playing it off. "Cool," she says, not bothering to give him her name. Before he can ask for it, the guys on the other set decide to serve the ball.

Beck, as he'd introduced himself, dives for the first hit. He's good, Jade notices—but she's in the game for _herself_, not for him. They volley for a while, until Beck passes the ball to Jade, who spikes it over the net and directly into the sand before the other team can get to it.

"Yeah! Go, West!" A voice from the crowd shouts. Jade ignores it and serves the next ball, but the comment doesn't go unrecognized by Beck. As the volleying between sides continues, he accepts a pass from his teammate and grins at her as he dives for the ball.

"So, uh," he says, hitting it over the net with perfect precision, "are you planning on telling me your name? Or are you just gonna let me call you West?"

Jade takes another dig and singlehandedly passes it back over—again ignoring him. "I'll make you a deal," Beck then says, still smiling as he stays in the game. "If we win, you tell me your name. If we lose, you have to get compensatory ice cream with me later."

"Who said I was partaking in this deal?" Jade replies, spiking the ball harshly across the court.

"Come on, West," Beck says. "Aren't you up for a little adventure?"

Jade rolls her eyes, but she gives him a hint of a smile to let him know she's in. Or, at least, that's what she hopes to convey. He laughs and takes an excellent pass from her, which, after his hit, ties up the intense game. There's a crowd of excited, drunk people surrounding them—all yelling and cheering. Having scored the last point, it's Beck's turn to serve the ball for the final point.

The volleying continues for an agonizing amount of time; while it's only about a minute, it seems like much longer to anyone invested in the game. When Jade digs a seemingly impossible hit, Beck is quick to assist her in getting the ball back up in the air. A beautiful set from him and a by-the-inch spike from her later, they've won the game.

The shouting gets louder as everyone celebrates the victory, and Beck turns to his teammate as if he's expecting something from her. "So?" He says, and there's a goofy (and yet incredibly charming) smile on his face that—especially when he runs a hand through his hair—makes him seem nearly irresistible.

"Jade," she says plainly. "Good game."

She knows these types of guys. This guy is exactly the same as her ex-boyfriend; she's positive Beck was the resident hottie at his school—constantly approached by girls who he would simply use for his own personal fun. No way in hell is she letting herself fall for another one of those assholes. "Nice to meet you, Jade," he replies. "You're a great player."

"Yeah," she says dryly. "I bet you are, too." With that, the dark-haired girl turns around and heads off to find her friends. Although Cat is in the water with a boy she'd met, Jade finds Tori, Andre, and Robbie all dancing to the music.

"Jade!" Tori exclaims. "You were so great out there!" She's obviously tipsy, and Jade immediately realizes that she needs to get herself a drink. "Where's that guy you played with?"

"I don't know," she answers, a part of her wishing she did. "I didn't know him."

"Well," Tori huffs. "I don't know anything about volleyball, but I do know that—in sports—you're supposed to keep your eye on the ball. And he, my friend, definitely had his eye on something else." She makes an overdramatic winking gesture and Jade scoffs; Tori is such a lightweight. Despite the impact of the alcohol, though, Jade can't help but wonder if her friend is right. Before she can think about it any further, Tori's eyes get wide and she starts not-so-discreetly pointing towards something behind Jade.

"What?" Jade asks frustratedly to a wordlessly excited Tori. "What are you do—"

"Hey, Jade."

The voice sends chills down her spine because—despite the fact that she'd just met this guy thirty minutes ago—she completely recognized his voice. It's warm and sweet, and it shouldn't fit a boy who looks like him.

But it does.

She turns around to face him and sees him smiling almost embarrassedly. "I don't want to play anymore volleyball," she says right away. "You can find another partner."

"Oh," he says, shaking his head, "I didn't come over here for that. I just…thought I'd say hi." _Damn, she's much more intimidating in a real face-to-face conversation._ "Hi," he says instead, offering his hand to Tori. "I'm Beck."

As the skinny girl is eagerly shaking his hand—and also trying not to drool—Andre turns around from where he'd been talking to Robbie. "Is that," he says, lifting his sunglasses. "Is that Beck Oliver I see?"

"Andre!" Beck says, clasping his hand to the other boy's and giving him a guyish hug. "Dude, I haven't seen you since last summer!"

"Beck and I went to summer camp together growing up," Andre explains to the girls. Tori nods her head eagerly. Jade rolls her eyes. "We were notorious for giving our counselors hell," he says with a laugh. "Are you in LA now? What happened to SanFran?"

"I'm going to UCLA for college! I talked my parents into letting me move down here for the summer so I could get to know people before I start in the fall."

"Well look at this—first week of summer and you've already got a group to chill with," Andre says with a friendly smile. "I guess you met Jade in the game. This is my girlfriend, Tori. That's Robbie over there doing a keg stand," he says, shaking his head. "And, uh, you'll meet Cat later. God knows where she is at this point."

Beck laughs and nods his head, clearly happy with the turn of events. Jade, on the other hand, is wondering how she went from being perfectly okay with ignoring the sure-to-be heartbreaker to now having to see him all the time.

Tori has turned back around to dance with her boyfriend, leaving Jade still facing Beck. "Do you," he says cautiously, afraid to turn her off to him so soon, "want to go get a drink?"

Jade sighs and looks at him skeptically. "Only because I need one," she says—and that's good enough for him. He smiles and leads her over to the coolers, where he makes both of them an (admittedly delicious) vodka lemonade. Jade watches his hands the entire time; she's not about to let this pretty boy drug her into sleeping with him.

"Want to go in the water?" Beck asks, without pressure or assumption.

"No," she answers immediately. As much as she resents herself for it, she's been terrified of the ocean since the third grade. It's a fear that even growing up on the Golden Coast couldn't cure—and she's not up for explaining that to a guy she just met.

"Okay," he says, walking over to where the unlit bonfires are. "It's almost dark, so they should be starting the fires soon. Care to watch with me?"

Jade takes a sip of her drink and tells herself to relax; what else could she possibly be doing right now? "Sure," she replies, and she notices that his returning smile isn't cocky. _Damn_.

They talk for twenty minutes—about school, friends, and the summer—until some guy steps up onto a keg and starts giving his spiel about kicking off what's sure to be the best summer of their lives. He raises his cup, lights the huge bonfire, and then drinks—and hundreds of people follow suit.

Summer has officially begun.

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**If you care to read the rest just tell me idek**


	2. Part Two

**Britt said it best when she sent me this text: "didn't u write the fic bc of a hammock omg"**

**So there's that, which may or may not make sense with this update.**

**I hope I got all the typos. This is just a mess.**

* * *

Over the next two weeks, the two of them see each other every day—thanks to their friend group, which has constantly something planned. They're either on the beach, at the mall, at a party, or at someone's house. Jade can't deny that she's having fun, but it makes her nervous that she's finding herself spending more and more time alone with Beck.

As much as she tries to convince herself that he's just another player, he's always proving her wrong. He's a gentleman; he's polite and kind and funny and charming and Jade hates that she thinks her heart might be wired to skip a beat every time he smiles at her.

It's late Tuesday night on the third week of summer that Cat drinks way too much at a house party they'd all attended. While it's completely normal for the redhead to drink herself into a blackout, it becomes concerning when she won't stop dry heaving.

"She could have alcohol poisoning," Andre says, pulling her into his arms to carry her to his car. "We've got to take her to the hospital." Everyone piles into their friend's suburban, and within several minutes they're pulling into the emergency room. As they walk down the hallway to seek help, Beck and Jade find that their fingers link together.

"What is this?" She asks, nodding down at their hands.

"I don't know," he says, still walking. "I thought you were doing it."

"I thought you were doing it," Jade replies, giving him his words back. Beck doesn't let go of her, though; instead, he keeps holding onto her hand as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

Jade doesn't say anything else about it, but she has to think about the fact that she'd instinctively clung to him for protection of some kind. She notices that his hand is like his voice—soft and reassuring—and she decides quickly that she's rather be holding his hand than not.

The next day, Beck invites her over. He's staying with his older cousin, Hudson, in his beach house until he moves into the dorms in September. No one's home, so they have the place to themselves, and Beck leads her out onto the back patio. There's a red hammock that looks big enough for two, so they crawl onto it together and shift their bodies to fit. His arm finds its way around her body, and she rests her head on his chest because it seems to be the most comfortable for both of them.

"Thanks for coming over," he says, rubbing his fingers gently up and down her shoulder.

"The house is really nice," she replies.

"I've been meaning to tell you something, and I guess I'm just now getting the courage to say it." Jade looks up at him, and he takes a breath before continuing. "I like you. And I'm telling you because I want you to know that you're not a game to me—or some meaningless crush. I really like you."

As he speaks, her heart starts beating faster and she places her hand on his chest. Without giving it another thought, she reaches up to press her lips against his. It's their first kiss, but it feels like they've practiced plenty before. They shift so that she's lying on top of him as they continue kissing, sparks pulsing at each place of contact.

As he holds her in his muscle-clad arms, Jade notices an immediate difference between him and her ex-boyfriend. Whereas Ryder was always rough and demanding with her, Beck is gentle and caring. He moves with soft precision, ensuring that each touch brings her nothing but pleasure.

They kiss for a long time—longer than either of them had expected—until they finally take a break to let their breathing slow. Jade reminds herself that it's probably not normal to feel the way she does about him; people simply don't fall for each other this quickly. Any doubts she has about falling for Beck, though, are always quieted the second he looks at her.

Two weeks later, the couple has shared many more kisses to compliment their first. Their group of friends decides to hit the beach for the day, so they load up Beck's truck with everything they need: towels, a football, the cooler, and speakers. As they set up camp at their favorite spot in the sand, Beck lowers the lid to his trunk on which they can place the speakers and cooler.

The girls had made plenty of mango and watermelon cocktails to bring along, and the large cabana tent will provide any shade they desire. After getting two mango drinks, Beck sits on the large blanket covering the area and Jade plops herself between his legs. Cat and Tori are lying on the chairs nearby to start tanning, while Robbie and Andre busy themselves making drinks and getting the music situated.

Once Jade is in front of him, Beck wraps an arm loosely around her middle and drops a kiss to her shoulder. "Here, Babe," he says, handing her the mango cocktail with his free hand. As the group hangs out on the beach, it doesn't go unnoticed by anyone how unusually happy Jade seems. It's nothing strange for Beck to be smiling constantly, but they know _her_ well enough to know that it isn't exactly common.

She's beaming constantly, and her sullen independence seems to be warring due to the fact that Beck is almost always attached to her side. When the guys go out into the water to pass around the football, it's the first topic of conversation to come up.

"So," Andre says, grinning as he throws the ball to his longtime friend, "you've got Jade West _smiling_. What the hell did you do to her?"

Beck laughs and scratches his head. "We just sort of clicked."

"No kidding," Robbie says, catching the pass. "I don't think I've seen you guys apart since the bonfire. I think it's a good thing—especially after Ryder."

"Yeah, Jade told me about all that," Beck replies, dipping his hands in the water to cool off. "I'm not trying to sound like an asshole, so don't get me wrong—but I just think I could treat her a lot better, you know? She deserves it."

"True that," Andre agrees as he throws another pass. "That girl needs a good guy for once."

If Jade thought she could escape the burning questions from her best friends, she's proven wrong the second the guys are gone.

"Oh my god," Cat starts. "So are you and Beck like, a thing, now?"

"What does that even mean?" Jade answers, averting the question at all cost as she keeps sipping on her drink.

"You know what we mean!" Tori exclaims. "This is the first time we've even gotten to talk to you alone since this whole thing started because you two are attached at the hip! I think it's adorable."

"First, don't call me adorable," Jade demands. "Second, I don't know what we are. We just hang out and talk and—"

"Make out," Cat interrupts, and Jade blushes while Tori laughs. "It's true," the redhead says. You guys are all over each other. You're totally falling in love."

Butterflies take over Jade's stomach and she feels short of breath when Cat mentions the _L _word. Is this what it feels like to fall in love? She'd initially thought that what she had with Ryder was love—she'd given him everything, after all—but then how is it possible for her to feel so completely different with Beck and still call it that?

"He's going to UCLA, you know," Tori says. "He'll be in the same city as us for at least the next four years; this could be more than just a summer thing."

When the guys come back over, the six of them decide to play a game of I Never. Andre takes a seat on the beach chair, and Tori lays her back on his chest. Cat sits on the floor next to Robbie, while Beck and Jade resume their position from earlier. As they sit, back to front, Beck folds his hands into hers and she turns her head momentarily to kiss him.

"I'll start," Tori says, her words just slightly slurred from the alcohol. "Never have I ever played volleyball." Beck, Jade, Cat, and Andre each take a sip of their drink, and it's Andre's turn.

"Alright, never have I ever been to Canada," he says. He eyes Beck, who laughs alongside him and takes a solo drink.

"Never have I ever," Robbie says, thinking. "Ooh—got it. Never have I ever done musical theater." All three girls drink, as expected, but it surprises everyone but Jade when Beck lifts his cup to his mouth. "Beck, you're into that?"

"You bet," he says with such confidence in his passion that even Robbie and Andre feel a little jealous.

"I think it's sexy," Jade says, turning to place a hand on his cheek.

"Oh you do, do you?" Beck grins and leans in for a kiss that has everyone mockingly telling them to get a room.

"Cat, it's your turn," Tori says, holding onto her boyfriend's hand.

"Ugh, I hate this game," she moans. "I never have any good ones."

"Yeah, that's cause you've done everything there is to do," Jade reminds her.

"True." Cat smiles and shrugs her shoulders. "Actually, though, I have one. Never have I ever been in love."

Tori and Andre share a kiss and both drink, while Jade stays relaxed in Beck's arms. She watches as he doesn't move for his drink, and she's forever grateful for it. It does make her wonder, though, whether or not he would have taken a sip had she not been present.

The hours fly by, and soon it's getting dark and more people have joined them on the beach for a rave. Neon glow sticks and electronica music surround them, and at this point there are few people who _aren't_ drunk out of their minds.

"Beck!" Jade shouts as she sees the boy walking towards her. He has a drink in his hand, and a fresh strawberry is split on the rim of the cup.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on her, man," Beck tells Andre, who nods and finishes off his beer. He then turns his attention to his girl, who has had plenty to drink. "Hi, Gorgeous," he says, planting a kiss on her lips. When they pull back, Jade steals the strawberry from his drink and sucks on it a bit before throwing it. She grins mischievously and he laughs. He's completely smitten with her; everything she does seems like the greatest thing he's ever seen.

Guys hit on her everywhere she goes, and he has to remind himself that no, it's not socially acceptable to get visibly frustrated about people staring at her. For the sake of his ego, though, he does frequently take pride in the fact that she's _his_. That he'd been the one who cared enough to break down her walls and get to know her. As the one whom she calls her boyfriend, though, he does have the right to fend off preying guys. And boy, does he use that privilege.

The music is blaring so loudly that they can feel it vibrating on their bodies. Everyone is intoxicated, making the neon lights and intense bass all seem even more exaggerated. When Jade turns in Beck's arms to face him, she kisses his lips and pulls back to get a (blurry) view of his eyes.

"Do you love me?"

Beck takes a deep breath and his head feels even dizzier than before. The second the words have left her mouth, he's overcome with a relieving feeling that maybe what he's been feeling is _not_ impossible. Though Hudson had claimed that half a summer isn't long enough to know you're in love, Beck has insisted that it's what he feels with Jade.

"_Yes_," he wants to say. But he knows she won't remember it, and he's not about to fuck anything up with this girl. So he doesn't tell her then.

Instead, he tells her the next night, when he takes her on a date to the Santa Monica Pier. They're on the ferris wheel—cliché, he knows, but aren't these things cliché for a reason?—and he waits until their cart is at the top to tell her.

"I love you," he blurts out, and her blue eyes get wide. She waits a few long seconds, before,

"You love me?"

Beck nods his head. "I know it's crazy because it's only been two months, but yeah. I'm sure of it. I love you, Jade."

She swallows hard and finally allows herself to say what she's been feeling. "I love you," Jade says, and it's like a huge weight has been lifted from her chest as he pulls her into his lap and kisses her.

She's in love.

_They're_ in love.

* * *

**Did I just win for writing the corniest shit ever? Ugh. And yes - unfortunately - there's a third part if you want it. **


	3. Part Three

**Literally don't even look at me this is all Britt and Abi's fault oh my god**

* * *

Several nights after their date on the Pier, they're at Beck's place. Hudson had taken a weekend trip to Palm Springs with some friends, leaving them the house to themselves. They've spent nearly every waking moment together since that first kiss, and everything about their relationship radiates passion.

Beck pours two glasses of wine and returns to the living room, where Jade is sitting on the couch. As he bends down to hand her a glass, he plants a chaste kiss to her lips and takes a seat next to her. They're curled up together, watching some horror movie that both of them love.

Jade's not quite sure how it happens—but it's quick. Their empty wine glasses are back on the coffee table and, instead of laying _next_ to Beck, she's laying under him. He's dropping light kisses from her jaw down to her breasts, caressing her body with each movement of his hands and lips.

She lifts her arms above her head, helping him take her shirt off, and then busies her hands with unbuttoning his. With the exception of her bra, their chests are bare as they rub against each other. She welcomes his tongue into her mouth as the kissing becomes more intense, and it's just a few seconds later when she feels something sharp pressing against the inside of her thigh.

Jade laughs, and Beck is thankful that the darkness hides his blush as he quickly pulls his pants down. He decides it's a good time to get her shorts off, too, so he unbuttons them and slides them down her smooth, long legs until they've joined the pile on the ground. He kisses his way back up, dragging his lips up her stomach and causing her body to release an involuntary shudder.

Beck scoops his arms underneath her and her legs wrap around his waist so he can pick her up. He carries her back to his room, where he gently drops her onto the bed. Though she's slept in it practically every night for the past few weeks, she's never been in _this_ particular position. She and Beck had gone plenty far—and had even been naked with each other—but he'd been holding off on sex and she knew enough about him to respect that.

More times than she'd admit, Jade has caught herself wondering about whether or not she'd still be a virgin had she not been so pressured by Ryder. Her only high school boyfriend had insisted on their love coming with the price of sex—and Jade had given in.

Little did she know, there was someone waiting for her. Someone who was mocked for it by the guys in school and praised for it by the girls; someone who refused to lose his virginity to a girl he didn't love.

Beck Oliver has always believed in proper timing—and as he pulls away from kissing his girlfriend, he knows he has some things to say.

"I want you to know why I waited to do this with you," he says, hoping she won't be frustrated with his pause in their fun. She's giving him her full attention, though, as he crawls onto the bed to hold her. "I know you haven't had the best experiences with guys. I don't want you to think that you're just somebody to sleep with. You're worth so much more than that, Jade."

It's quiet for a minute as the impact of his words sink in. As much as he can sense her insecurity about not being good enough for him, she can feel his nerves about being compared to her ex-boyfriend.

"Beck?"

"Yeah?"

She turns her head to face him again. "I feel more comfortable with you than I ever did with him." Beck smiles and rolls himself to hover over her body. "I love you," she reminds him.

"I love you so much, Jade," he replies, leaning in for another kiss. This time, his kisses drop all the way back down her body, and he uses delicate fingers to pull her lacy underwear off. He tosses her legs over his shoulders and then he's kissing her _there_, and everything is wonderful. Waves of pleasure wash over her as he skillfully works her into a climax. Beck doesn't bother asking for anything in return; he's ready enough as he drops his boxers to the floor and climbs back up to her.

Once Jade's bra has found its place on the ground, Beck begins moving and neither of them think they've ever felt this good. As their bodies begin to synchronize, it's again not lost on Jade just how different he is from Ryder. Unlike her selfish ex, who only ever cared about pleasing himself, Beck's kind of love is soft and passionate—not to mention all about her.

They go for fifteen minutes before she orgasms again, and he follows shortly after. When he rolls off of her, they're both grinning and Jade tilts her body to rest halfway on his. She slips one of her legs between his and places her hand on his toned, slightly sweaty chest.

"How'd I do?" Beck asks playfully, leaning down to look at her.

"If I weren't concerned about your ego, I'd give you a ten out of ten," she answers. "But I am, so you get a nine."

"A ten. Damn, I'm good," he says, and Jade rolls her eyes and hits him. "Did I blow your mind?"

She laughs—a sound he doesn't think he'll ever get tired of hearing—and stretches up to kiss him. "If I say yes, does that mean I'm too tired for another round?"

"I don't think so."

"Then yes."

Beck stares at her, completely mesmerized. "You're really sexy, Jade West. You know that?" She grins and he kisses her. "You up for more?"

"Only if you keep telling me how sexy I am," she deadpans. He chuckles and nods his head as he pulls her to lay over him again.

"I think I can do that."

.

* * *

.

She hates herself.

What the hell had been going through her brain when they'd had that awful conversation? She'd started it—she knows that much—and now she's lost him and it's all her fault. As much as she'd like to blame her age-old insecurity and fear of commitment, she knows well that Beck had been different. Beck had been the one with the chance to change that. And now she'd taken it from him.

Before she'd started saying things aloud, it all made sense in her head. She'd planned to give him an out—one he clearly didn't want—but things seemed to spiral from there.

_"People don't do this, Beck! People don't just fall in love over the summer and stay together. It's not normal!"_

_"Jade, how many times do I have to tell you? We're not normal! What I feel for you isn't normal. I love you—can't you understand that?" _

_Her breathing is becoming more irregular due to the pattering occurring in her heart. "Beck," she sighs, at a loss of what to say. There's no way she can explain to him that he won't be happy with her for long, or that he'll soon realize he deserves better; he's going to have to learn it on his own._

_"Jade, please," he begs. "Don't do this. I know we're going to different schools but we'll still be in the same city. We can work it out, I promise you."_

_"You say that now," she says, wiping an embarrassing tear that drops from her eye. "But this was just a fling and we both know it. I'd rather end it before we get in too deep. Just trust me."_

_Beck wonders if she feels as miserable as he looks. "I'm already in too deep," he wants to say. But he can see that this conversation is difficult enough for her, and he decides not to push. _

_"Okay," he finally says, a look of defeat painting his face. "If…this is what you really want."_

She'd pushed him away. And for that, she hates herself.

When it comes time for the Back-to-School Bonfire, neither one of them wants to go. It's only been two weeks since the breakup, and Jade is in no mood to socialize or pretend like she's even the least bit okay. Her best friends, however, seem to think that the only cure for her to get over Beck is to "put herself back out there."

Tori and Cat pick out her outfit—even under her harsh critique of each thing they put together—but she (much to their dismay) refuses to drink. Beck, on the other hand, is plastered by the time he even gets to the beach. It's around midnight when he's standing by the bonfire alone, brooding as he drunkenly sips on his seventh (eighth?) cup of beer.

"So," an unfamiliar voice says from behind Beck. When he spins around, he still doesn't recognize the person standing before him. "I hear you're the jackass who was screwing my girl. Well, until she dumped you."

Beck's eyebrows patch together and he blinks a few times to get his vision straight. "Who _are_ you, man? Relax. Have a drink," he slurs, offering out his red cup in a lazy gesture. It's not lost on the stranger that Beck has clearly had too much to drink. Unfortunately for Beck, this guy plans to use that to his advantage.

"I'm sure she told you about me. How could she not?" He says, a ugly, cocky grin on his face. "I was her first _everything_."

Beck retracts his hand and drains the cup before tossing it into a nearby trash bag. "You're Ryder."

The paler boy brings his hands up in a gesture of grandeur. "Bingo," he says, and his voice is so arrogant and condescending that Beck decides within seconds that he hates this guy more than he had before.

"Jade's not your girl," he says after a minute. "She may not be mine anymore, but she sure as hell isn't yours. She doesn't even like you." Sober Beck could probably come up with a better response than that—but Sober Beck disappeared for good after the fourth beer.

"Oh, really?" Ryder asks, stepping towards Beck. "Because I think she seemed like my girl when I fucked her in the bathroom a few minutes ago. It definitely sounded like she liked it—"

"You shut the hell up," Beck growls, grabbing Ryder's shirt between his now-white knuckles.

"Hey, hey. Relax, man," he replies, and Beck lets go momentarily. "Listen, Jade was upset after our breakup and I get that she needed a shoulder to cry on. You were there, and that's cool. I just wanted to come let you know that we're back together—so you can back off now."

"I don't believe you," Beck says firmly, clutching his fists as his insides boil with uncharacteristic anger.

"I know this is hard to hear," Ryder feigns sensitivity. "But I can't let Jade get away again; she's way too fun to fuck."

Beck's had enough, and his hands go back to gripping Ryder's t-shirt. "Hey! Don't talk about her like that!"

The older guy immediately pushes Beck off of him. "Come on, man. It's not like she even has a personality! She's way too screwed up to—"

And then Ryder is trying to regain his normal vision from the blow to his left eye. He's quick to retaliate, thrusting himself entirely against Beck to tackle him to the sand.

It's around this time that Jade—who has hardly had anything to drink due to her promise to keep an eye on her friends—spots the guys rolling around. They're hitting each other, but it's mostly (a clearly drunker) Beck getting destroyed by his underestimated opponent.

She bolts to the scene, where tons of people have now gathered around a circle to cheer and shout for (instead of stop) the brawl. "Hey!" She hollers, pushing her way into the center. "Hey! Cut it out—both of you!"

It's her voice—and her voice only—that draws both of the guys' attention upwards instead of on each other. "Jade," Ryder says, immediately rising to meet her eyes. "I'm so glad I got to you before he did. He's a maniac, babe. I can't believe he's never hurt you befo—"

And then Ryder is back on the sand, because Beck had tugged on his jeans enough to pull him down. Jade has to stifle a chuckle, unlike the laughing crowd, when the older guy slips right on his back.

He looks like he wants to kill Beck but, before someone else has their hands on him before Ryder.

"Come on, stand up," she says gently, and Beck complies as best as he can. As she walks with him out of the circle of drunk people, she ignores Ryder's cries of indignation. Jade doesn't feel like reminding him that she doesn't care about his bigger muscles, friend circle, and cock.

Besides, the last one wasn't even true.

"I'm sorry," Beck says hoarsely as he stumbles beside her. Jade keeps her arm looped in his to help his stability, but he's still leaning on her quite a bit. "He was saying things, Jade. And I don't want anyone to ever say those things about you. They're not true."

The brunette remains quiet as she shoots a quick text to Andre to let him know she would be leaving. She walks with Beck to her car and helps him into the passenger's seat before buckling him in. "Jade?"

"Mhmm?" She starts the car and keeps her eyes on the road as she begins driving.

"Are you and Ryder dating? I'm sorry if I'm not s'posed to ask, but he said that you guys were sleeping together and I don't wanna ruin—"

"Stop talking," she says, and then sighs. "Ryder would tell you your house had just exploded if he knew it'd get a rise out of you. He's just like that. I haven't touched him since high school, and I don't plan on ever doing it again. Don't worry about him—try to rest. Your head is going to be killing you tomorrow."

Beck does as he's told, and Jade drives straight home because her parents are out of town. Jade is thankful that he hadn't fallen asleep—there's no way she could have carried his dead weight into the house and up the stairs to the guest bedroom.

He collapses onto the bed and she runs down to the kitchen to find a plastic bowl and a bag of frozen peas. "If you feel like you need to throw up," she says, placing it next to him, "do it in this. I'm not lugging you to and from the toilet. And _this_ goes on your head." She places the bag of peas halfway on his eye and halfway on his head to hopefully help relieve some of the throbbing.

"I'm so sorry, Jade," he mumbles, and his breath reeks of beer.

"I know you are," she replies, running a hand through his hair. She thinks about returning to her own room (it's past one, after all), but Beck doesn't look too good and she worries about him being alone in his particular condition.

"I still love you. And I miss you all the time."

Jade sighs and looks at his brown, foggy eyes. "I know, Beck." She pauses to remind herself that he's not going to remember this tomorrow. "I miss you too."

Beck looks pleased, and then disgusted. And then he promptly vomits into the bowl she'd brought him. "Well, that doesn't ruin the moment or anything," she mutters, but she's smiling and pulling his near shoulder-length hair out of his face. "You're gonna hate yourself tomorrow."

But maybe she's wrong.

When Beck wakes up, head pounding and vision hazy, he notices several things. First, that there are a few Advil and a bottle of water on the nightstand. Second, that he's in the guest bedroom of his ex-girlfriend's house. And third, that that same ex-girlfriend is curled up beside him.

She seems to feel him stirring, because soon her eyes flutter open as well. A pause, and then,

"Why am I…here—"

He stops talking then, because she's raised her palm in a motion that tells him to stop. It's then that Beck reminds his stupid self that she hasn't had coffee yet. And Jade West, as he knows quite well from having spent his entire summer with her, barely _breathes_ in the morning before she has at least a few sips in her.

They relocate to the kitchen (Beck hobbles down the stairs due to his injuries) and she makes a pot of coffee. After ten minutes, Jade finally speaks. "Do you remember last night—any of it?"

Beck's forehead crinkles up and he runs a hand through his hair. "I think I… I think I was in a fight? Did I get in a fight with someone?"

"It wasn't so much of a fight," she tells him, leaning against the island counter. "More like a beating."

"Are you sure I didn't get like, hit by a car, or something?" He asks, rubbing his head. "Cause that's what it feels like."

"You might as well have," Jade says. "Ryder's a big guy."

"Ryder?" Beck asks incredulously. "I got in a fight with _Ryder_?"

Jade laughs and takes a sip of her coffee. "I told you, it wasn't really a fight—"

"Alright, alright I get it. I got my ass handed to me. That's not embarrassing or anything," he mutters, letting his face fall into his hands. He pauses for a few moments, but promptly looks back up at her. "Wait a second, that doesn't explain why… I'm here. Please don't tell me I passed out and you had to take care of me, or something. I think I've lost enough dignity for one morning."

Jade laughs, and then she's laughing so hard that he might get frustrated if it weren't for the fact that he thinks it's the most beautiful sound in the world.

"You threw up," she says, almost with a look of pity for him. "You said a lot of things and you threw up and then you fell asleep. It wasn't _that_ bad."

"Oh, god," he moans, sliding his palms down his face. "I am so sorry, Jade."

"Yeah, you said that last night, too. Like thirty times," she laughs.

Beck groans again and looks up at her with wide, brown eyes. "What else did I say?"

Jade finishes her mug and pours herself another one, facing away from him to say her next words. "You don't want to get into that. You said stuff you don't mean, and it doesn't matter anyways." She adds her sugars and Beck watches her stir it from where he sits at the bar behind her.

"It can't have been that bad, right? I mean, I guess it could have been, but I don't—"

"You said you still love me."

Beck sets his coffee down and makes straight eye contact with her. "Jade, I—"

"Like I said," she interrupts. "It doesn't matter. Don't worry about it."

It's quiet for a few minutes, until it's Beck who starts laughing. His laugh is softer, calmer than hers—but she's looking at him like he's absolutely crazy. "You know," he says. "I thought Drunk Me was just a stupid idiot who tried to pick a fight with your ex."

"Um, and?"

He sighs, and a small smile appears on his face. "If it took me getting hammered to finally man up and tell you that I'm still in love with you, or that things suck without you, or that I think about you and miss you all the time—then I guess I'm a little thankful for Drunk Me."

Jade doesn't have a response; she's not exactly surprised at his words, but she's certainly shocked at how he'd just laid it all out in front of her like that. Beck stands up and limps over to her, and she doesn't move when he stands to face her. He takes her coffee cup gently from her, and she tries to ignore the butterflies that flutter in her stomach when his hands brush against her fingers. He takes her hands in his and she doesn't stop him.

"I love you. And I don't know if you love me, too, but I want you to know that—when and if you're ever ready to get back together—I'm in. I'm really sorry that you had to take care of me last night, and I hate the fact that you think I said all that stuff just in a drunken mess. But, Jade, I just need you to believe me when I say that—"

"Beck, stop."

"No, I need to—"

"Beck," she says, cupping his face in her hands. "Stop talking. I would shut you up with a kiss but you threw up last night and I just can't make myself do that."

A grin spreads onto his face. "You'd kiss me?"

Jade drops her hands to his shoulders. "Well, I love you, so yeah, a kiss would probably make sense."

And then he's pulled her into a hug and picked her up off her feet. And his body is aching in pain and he thinks he might be sorry he did this later but it's worth it to feel her body around his arms again. "I love you, I love you, I love you," Beck says, before setting her down to look at her again.

"So," she says, playing with his hair behind his neck, "do you think my _boyfriend_ might be up for a shower? You know, since he smells like ass."

Beck laughs. "Only if my girlfriend joins me."

Jade grins and lets him pull her up the stairs. "Deal."


End file.
